Crossroads
by Son of the morning
Summary: Naruto, loses both a guardian and Teuchi, the ramen stand owner, at a young age.  As Ayame leaves the village, she asks Naruto to make a promise to protect those in need. Can he fulfill it? Does he want to fulfill it?  Ayame x Naruto.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I wanted to get this story out there because its been troubling me and i haven't been able to work on anything at all. So far its a prologue but the first chapter should be up soon, its about 75-80 completed and should be up latest by tomorrow.

**PROLOGUE**

Why? I wonder. I wonder quite a few things actually. The very first? I wonder why good people have to suffer for the ignorance of others. It wasn't they're time dammit... not yet. Tears? Heh. It's been quite a while since I've truly felt this sad. Life was gradually getting better and it seemed like I would finally get my happy ending. So why? Why did it end up like this? Oh look... they're coming down faster.

"Naruto... it wasn't you're fault." consoled Ayame, the Hokage behind her nodding his head solemnly. Naruto looked up from the two parallel coffins to come face to face with the tear stained face of Ayame. It hurt him greatly to see her this way. If only he had been there, maybe he could have used his limited knowledge of fighting to help put. If only he was there, he could have distracted the mob long enough to allow them to run. If only... the words of infinite possibilities and zero realities.

"Ayame-san, please hate me." said Naruto, shocking both Ayame and the Hokage. "It was all my fault, I wasn't there to help them! I could've done something! Anythi-" Ayame slapped him.

"Then help them now Naruto." she stated in a stern voice, tears rolling slowly down her cheeks. "Help them rest in peace Naruto, please." she started to cry more openly and Naruto went to hug her. She sobbed in his childish arms. "Protect others Naruto, help them so they don't have to feel what we feel, make them happy." She held out her pinky towards Naruto, confusing the 7 year-old. "Promise me that. Promise me you will protect others." Naruto was stunned at her words. Even now she was thinking of other people. It was amazing. Ayame was nothing short of a saint... but could he be as well? Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Gomen...ne, Ayame-san. I... I'm not... strong enough to protect people..." He put his head down in shame.

"Then get stronger Naruto, and when your stonger... I'll be waiting. Waiting for you to protect me, and others..." Ayame turned around and walked towards the village gate where her aunt was waiting. She turned around briefly. "No matter how long it takes..." Naruto's eyes widened, and the Hokage put his hand on Naruto's shoulder. He looked up into the Hokage's eyes which were filled with trust and encouragement. Why? Why did they trust him so much?


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing.

Muchos gracias to** DeExil **for the review.

* * *

Why? Why do I feel so dirty? I've been washing my hands for the past hour, but... it's still there. All of it. Why? Why? WHY!? Why am I still so selfish? Why am I still weak? Why are my hands still stained with blood? Why? Why can't I stop crying? It's been four years now Ayame-san... but... I still can't face you. I've trained under many people... and yet... why?

* * *

"Team 7, your C class mission is to escort the bridge builder Tazuna to wave country." said the Hokage, from behind the mission desk. "Tazuna, you may come in now." In came a scruffy looking man with a sake jug in his hand. The man eyed his 'protection'. 

"Hokage-sama, are you sure these children are enough to protect me? They look like a bunch of weaklings... especially that pink one. She looks like the least threatening one." said Tazuna, in his opinion.

"I assure you sir Tazuna, this genin team is one of their graduating class's best. I have the highest hopes for this team." replied the Hokage, while looking at the team. It consisted of the remaining Uchiha Sasuke, a prodigy in his own right, Haruno Sakura, top of her class, and Kyohaku Rei, quiet girl, but an extremely talented genjutsu user. This team would become something extraordinary. "If you still are at unease, then rest assured, their team sensei is an accomplished jounin whom I would entrust my life." The Hokage's kind words seemed to have an effect on both Tazuna and Kakashi.

"Thank you Hokage-sama." said the cycloptic jounin. The Hokage nodded. "Meet at the north gate in one hour, we will be leaving then." he proceeded to disappeared in a swirl of leaves. The Hokage sighed and got out of his chair. "Maybe you'll see him there Rei-chan, and then maybe... you'll save _him_ this time around."

* * *

In the middle of the town of wave, a lone figure sat along a wall, drowning away his sorrows with the warmed rice wine known as sake. His hands were pink and raw from hours of washing. His hair, dirty from an unknown period of time traveling. Clothes as torn as his soul. Uzumaki Naruto, soul broken and battered, laid down. 

_Maybe it's finally my time..._ he thought while drifting of into a blissfully peaceful sleep.

* * *

"Pervert!" yelled Sakura. She was about to slap the offender, but she realized that it was just a small child, hand outstretched as if waiting for a handout. Rei looked at her teammate sternly, all the while reaching into her pack pulling out a shinobi M.R.E. and handed it to the child. 

"Here you go." she said with a smile. The child smiled.

"Thank you nee-chan!" she said, before running off. Rei followed the child until she saw a patch of blond on the floor, surrounded by children. The child bypassed all the other children and went strait to the blond. Maybe he was family? "Nii-chan! Nii-chan! I got some food! Look! Please don't die yet! I got some food, now you can play with us again!" said the little girl, motioning to the others. Tears swelled up in Rei, and Sakura's eyes. Tazuna looked down.

"Can you see why we need the bridge? Gato is slowly killing us all... and this one..." tears started to fall from Tazuna's eyes, to his hardened face. "he's not even from here... he came in one day and started handing out all his food to the young ones... and now look. Gato will pay dammit." Now openly crying, Sakura, and Rei moved towards the prone blond to see if she could help him in any way.

"Is there anything we can do?" asked Sakura. The little girls and boys looked up at them, all tearing.

"He's... sleeping right? Please?! He's just sleeping right?!" cried a little boy. "My mommy... she... she was sleeping too..." the boy broke down and Sakura went to hug him, while Rei went to check his pulse. When she found it, her eyes lit up and tears of joy flowed.

"Yeah, hes just sleeping." she said with a smile. Sakura cheered along with the rest of the kids. "Sakura, help me pick him up, we can help him back at Tazuna's house." she turned to the group of kids. "We're going to fix up your nii-san and bring him back ok?" The kids, who were now drying their eyes nodded simultaneously. Rei flipped him over and got a good look at the blond's face. She gasped. It was him...

* * *

"Sasuke, clear your mind. You won't get it if your angry. I'm not going to get cheezy and say that anger clouds your mind, because there are something you can only do when angry, but chakra just doesn't mold as well when angry." explained Kakashi. Sasuke scowled, but nodded. He then proceeded to take deep breaths to calm down. He ran at the tree once more with the intention of climbing it only to be thwarted half way by an influx of excess chakra in his body, propelling him away from the tree. He scowled again as Kakashi sighed as he walked away to check on the girls.

* * *

"What do you mean you know him?" asked Sakura. Rei just sighed. She knew that she would have to tell her story someday, she just never imagined that it would be so soon. Seeing Rei's downcast look, she added, "you don't have to tell me now... but when your ready. I'll uh, I'll leave you alone." Before Rei could protest, Sakura walked out of the room, leaving Rei with the blond. 

"Hi, I'm Rei... we've met before... but never formally." She said, starting somewhat awkwardly. She smiled at his peaceful face. "You saved me you know? When those bandit's attacked my village... you really saved a lot of people that day. Thank you. A lot of people were saved from the pain and sorrow of losing family... even though I wasn't... I'm still glad."

"I'm sorry." he said. Rei jumped and was about to reach for a kunai, but realized that it was the blond who was talking. She noticed that tears were coming out of his closed eyes.

"Idiot... I just said thank you. Why are you apologizing?" she asked, close to tears herself. He sat down and looked into her eyes. She gasped when she saw how full of sorrow his deep blue eyes were.

"It's my fault for not being fast, or strong enough..." he started. "Please... hate me." she was startled. "I... I don't deserve to be thanked... please... if you hate me then at least you'll feel better." Rei looked at her savior with shock and tears.

"Coward..." She never imagined that her savior would ever be like this. She started to cry. Naruto's eyes widened. "COWARD! You just want people to hate you because you don't want the burden of protecting them! I thought you were a good person! But your just a _coward!_" she said the last word with spite. "No. I won't hate you... rather... I don't hate _you_, but I hate how you act. You don't risk your life to save people... you risk your life to end it. Your no better than the brat upstairs." Rei turned to leave the room and let Naruto think about what she said.

* * *

"Inari no! Run back inside the house!" yelled Tsunami to her son as the bandits came towards them. 

"But mom!" he yelled back.

"Shut up kid." said one of the bandits. He hit the kid on the back of his head and knocked him out. "It seems, that we can have some fun now." he looked at Tsunami lecherously. Tsunami wanted to scream but all that would come out was a muffled sob. She could only watch as the two men approached her. She thought all hope was lost until one of the men crumpled on the ground. "Waraji!" Behind his unconscious figure was that of a girl, poised to strike.

"Leave them alone scum." she said. The bandit smirked. Rei frowned. What reason did a simple bandit have to be confident enough to smile while up against a ninja.

"Sorry for you girlie, but I used to be a genin before I left my village, and I've only gotten stronger. Don't think I'm going to be as easy as Waraji over there." he explained. Rei started to lose her confidence. She wasn't ready for one on ones with enemy ninja, even if he only reached genin status. She was too busy reflecting on her situation to notice that he started using handseals. "Donton: Tsuchi Kasui!" (earth element: earth spike) Rei saw everything happen in slow motion. She saw the line of spike come towards her, all to eager to impale. She saw the insane grin of the enemy... then she saw the ground. What she didn't see, is her blond savior move her out the way and blow away the bandit with a strong gust of wind, knocking him unconscious against a tree.

"I... I thought about what you said." said the Naruto. Rei got up and faced him, a grateful look in her eyes. "I'm sorry." she slapped him. He blinked.

"Then why are you saying sorry?" she yelled. He smiled softly and Rei felt her heart leap into her throat.

"Sorry." and just as fast as she felt the warm and fuzzy feeling enter her body... it left just as suddenly as she smacked him again. She glared at him. He paled. "I'm sor-" he stopped as he began to feel impending doom. "I won't say it again." he said meekly.

"Good. Now come on, mister savior. We have to help my team." she said. Naruto became downcast again.

"But are you so sure that I can help? What if I mess up again?" Rei looked at him sternly, eyes full of righteous fury.

"Because I trust you." she said simply. His eyes widened again.

_Why?_

* * *

Bridge battle next, along with his accompanyment to Konoha. For those who think his troubles are over, he's not out of his depressive slump just yet. It's gonna take a lot more than just this to bring him out of it. In fact... thats the premise of the story so stick around. Also, it still is AYAME X NARUTO!!! NOT REI X NARUTO, but if you would like to use Rei in your story, please ask first. Ja ne! 


	3. Chapter 3

OHAYO MINNA-SAN! Sorry for the wait... i got the wii and i must say, it is quite the system. Anyway, a few things are explained in this chapter as i was writing down bit by bit each day. (except for when i got my wii... then i just played that)

On with the story.

* * *

"Go help Kakashi! I'll go help Sasuke!" Rei was about to break formation to aid her fellow teammate when her hand was grabbed by the blond behind her. She turned around to see confused blue eyes. 

"How... do you know, if your strong enough to help?" he put his head down. "If I'm strong enough?" Rei sighed. She pulled away her hand from his and placed it on her hips.

"Now isn't the time to be stupid. As long as you have someone to protect, you'll always have the power." she said sternly. "Trust me." she turned away and broke for her teammate.

Trust me. The words echoed through Naruto's head like the gong of a church bell every second. A small smile tugged on his face, and for the first time in years... it wasn't full of pain. Naruto ran for the silver haired jounin's location in the thick mist. Trust her... no one he was protecting would die today. Not if he could help it.

* * *

"The sharingan is powerless if you can't see a thing Kakashi." said the demon of the mist, his vioce being projected from many locations. Kakashi scowled under his mask. It seemed he would have to summon his nin dogs. 

"I don't need to see to beat you Zabuza." he said as he prepared to summon his nin dogs. He was about to summon when suddenly the mist was blown away with demonic energy. Kakashi froze... were they not bluffing when they mentioned Zabuza being the demon of the mist? Could he really be a demon? No. It wouldn't make sense. Why create the mist only to blow it away... so then... where was it coming from? It was fierce, wild, untamed and yet... it was _controlled._ He saw Zabuza dodge a blood red blade of wind. When Zabuza landed, he growled.

"Who are you?" he asked through grit teeth. Zabuza discretly moved his eyes around the battlefield, trying to pinpoint the source of the malevolent chakra. What he received was not the answer he desired.

"Please stop working for Gato. Can't you see that the people of wave are suffer?" The voice was a frightening mix of sadness and wild fury. "Please... for the children." Zabuza grinned.

"For the children?" Zabuza chuckled before erupting into full blown laughter. Much to both Kakashi and the mystery attackers horror and dismay, a Zabuza water clone came from under the bridge carrying a child from the village. Naruto's eyes widened.

* * *

Naruto was walking down the streets of wave, tattered robe draped around his body, small sack thrown over his shoulder. He looked around. The state of wave depressed him so. The adults were weary, thin and sickly, children no different. To tired to continue his wandering, he sat upon a broken wall, which like him, was run down and attached to nothing. Cracks running around the foundation, stains ranging from juice to blood, and ready to crumble at any minute. 

He pulled out a bottle and a small box from his napsack, contemplating the slow suicide he was about to indulge himself in. 'Heh. Ciggies and Sake, nothing like these to ease me towards the end.' He was about to light up when he heard crying coming from the alley near his current location. 'It's not like I can help anyway.' he thought solemnly.

"Kaa-chan! Kaa-chan wake up!" said a shrill voice that seemed to belong to a distraught child. "Kaa-chan please! This isn't funny!" said the voice, which Naruto deemed to belong to a boy. Naruto started to cry. It wasn't fair. He was almost out of time... and then this. He got up and walked towards the source of the cries. What he found was a little boy and girl, about 7 and 5 respectively, huddled around a woman on the ground. The children momentarily stopped to look at the newcomer encroaching upon their position. Shakily, the boy said, "Nii-chan... shes not dead is she?" Naruto gave a grim smile.

"Yeah. Just sleeping." he said. A bright gold glow began to envelop Naruto and his eyes and hair turned white. He approached the lifeless woman and placed a hand upon her head. 'I... I can't do it... again.' Try as he might, his goal could not be achieved. His tears started to flow more freely as his power receded and he turned to the kids. "Yeah. Just sleeping."

* * *

Sasuke was surprised. Rei was succeding where he was failing. Somehow, she had managed to make the hunter nin leave the dome of mirrors using only genjutsu. An incredibly simple one if her dumbfounded look was any indication. 

The hunter-nin fumed. How could he have been so careless as to allow such a simple genjutsu fool him. Though the thought infuriated him, he had to admit how ingenious the plan was. Since Haku was moving at such high speeds, he himself wouldn't notice the small shift in mirrors making him exit through the spaces between mirrors. Now he was outmatched. It was impossible to re-engage them within the dome because they would now be weary of the death trap, and somehow, he thought they wouldn't stay in one place long enough to allow themselves to be encased in the deadly dome again. The only thing he could do now was make himself useful to Zabuza, who to his horror, was holding a child hostage... no...

"Hn. I don't think you have time to look away, as your battle is right here. You are now out of tricks, so i suggest you just give up." said Sasuke. "You may have had a chance with her, but with me, it's all over." Haku sneered at the other boy's arrogance, but took some consolation in the fact that his own teammate seemed to dislike him as much as he did. It was a scream that brought her back to the true matter at hand.

* * *

"Demon!" yelled Zabuza, staring at the blond, quickly regenerating his supposedly fatal stab to the chest, courtesy of Zabuza's zanbatou. Red chakra flowing solely through the blond youth's eyes, making for an incredibly horrific sight. Kakashi, watching the scene with a mix of horror and disgust. 

"Me?" asked the blond slowly. "He was 7! He had just lost his mother, had no father, and took care of his little sister... AND YOU KILLED HIM!!! THEN YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO CALL ME A DEMON!!!" The bridge started to crack from the strain of the power, before it all suddenly vanished. "For that, your punishment is worse than death. Prepare yourself to spend eternity with the king of hell." Naruto channeled all of his demon chakra into his eyes before looking Zabuza in the eyes, consuming his soul and sending it to burn eternally into the fires of hell and making his body bleed black blood from the sockets. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a white masked figure speedily making its way past everyone and towards Zabuza. Naruto, not being able to stand the sight of mourning, turned away.

"Oh? Zabuza is already dead?" asked a nasaly voice from across the bridge. "Well, isn't that convinient. Now I really don't have to pay him." he turned to his hired militia consisting of bandits, thugs and other various low-lives. "Whoever brings me his head, gets a 30 increas in pay." he told them. They cheered and were about to charge until they were frozen by the force of two massive killing intents. The origins of the killer intent gave eachother a look of understanding, only seen in their eyes.

"Those who do not value the meaning of life..." started Haku, mask now taken off, a fierce look upon his face.

"Do not deserve it." finished Naruto. Both combatants raised their hands and directed them above the heads of their enemies. Spears of sparkling blue ice and sickles of blood red wind hovered over. Each group sharper then even the sharpest katana, and more beautiful then even the most well crafted diamond. The group of people cowered at being surrounded by the dazzling tools of death.

"No, please! I'll pay whatever you want!" at the end of his sentence, both Haku and Naruto closed their hands, commanding the floating cloud of death to converge upon their enemies, killing them instantaneously. Haku collapsed on to his knees. Naruto turned his deep blue, burden filled eyes, to Haku before speaking.

"Continue to live... and if nothing else will allow you to stay alive... hate me. Use that hate and become stronger, and when your strong enough, kill me." both Haku and Sasuke's eyes widened. Haku smiled. He knew what the blond had meant, though he wasn't too sure if the blond himself knew.

"No thank you." he replied simply. "I won't allow you to get off so easily blondie." Sasuke stood frozen. What did he just say? No. That wasn't... isn't what was supposed to happen next.

"He killed your teammate!!! Why don't you hate him!?" Sasuke yelled at Haku, reliving all of his past memories of the clan massacre. "Right in front of your eyes!" he pointed to Zabuza, "He's dead! So why-" Haku punched him.

"Zabuza stopped being someone to me the second he took an innocent life." he said sternly. "That boy had no reason to die, and yet, Zabuza killed him. What blondie over here did was justified to the extreme. As we said before, those who don't value the meaning of life... don't deserve it." He smiled. "Plus, I can't let blondie over here get off so easily. Death is a shortcut that is used for cowards." Naruto's eyes widened, before softening. "I'll get stronger... but for a different reason." he looked to the body of the boy, before looking at the country of wave. "As long as there is something to protect, I'll protect it with my life." He then grinned. "And I think my first stop to becoming stronger, is to follow blondie around. He seems pretty strong." At this, everyone but Kakashi's eyes widened. He was trying to place where he had seen the blond kid before. "But first things first..." Haku had a sheepish look on his face. "Whats your name?" Rei and Sakura only chuckled due to the grusome sight that was in front of them. They, having just arrived during the middle of Haku's speech to Sasuke, saw the scattered body parts of the thugs, Sakura and Rei very nearly throwing up. Naruto looked somewhat uncomfortable at the question.

Sakura seemed to notice something off. "Weren't you enemies a few moment ago!" she screeched as she pointed at Rei and Haku. The both chuckled.

"Rei."

"Haku."

"The Weeping Savior of the Will of Fire," came the whispered voice of Kakashi as it suddenly dawned on him who the blond was. The blond put on a smile so full of sadness, rain began to pour as he looked up to the sky. "Uzumaki Naruto."

* * *

A/N: hoped you liked this chapter. Naruto's background and where he got some of his powers will be revealed next chapter so... you know... just wait. I've dropped a few hints on what his powers are so a free cookie to whoever gets it right. Or a mii character if you have the wii, and if i can figure out how to send it. Meh. 


	4. Chapter 4

Konichiwa minna-san! O genki desuka? Just kidding! Well... if you understood it then im serious... but im filipino and not japanese so im _mostly _kidding. I took japanese at school though so i guess its ok? Maybe? No? Meh.

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing... ( i think i forgot this the last chapter!!!)

* * *

"Ne Niko-sensei," started a younger looking Naruto as he stared up from the base of the tree he was resting upon. "Shouldn't I wait out here..." he asked. As he asked, Niko Hiroyuki noticed the pain in the young ones eyes. He felt a pang through his heart and was glad that Sarutobi had asked him to care for the broken hearted child. The village he was residing in would have utterly crushed his soul.

"Of course not Naruto. As long as your with me, I'll protect you as well as teach you how to protect others." Naruto's eyes lit up.

"But can't you just give me the power to protect people?" he asked with a somewhat renewed vigor. Hiroyuki chuckled.

"Power isn't something that can be given, Naruto-kun. It is something that is earned, because, when you protect somebody with something that you have earned... it makes it so much better. You know that **you** saved that person, and not somebody else." Hiroyuki turned towards the village gates. "Now are you coming or what?" he asked as he turned his head and smiled. Naruto followed with a smile of his own.

* * *

'Gomen-ne Niko-sensei. It's all my fault.' thought Naruto as he took another sip from his newly replenished sake bottle. The bridge had just finished being built and Naruto planned to go along in his travels but was halted by team seven. Kakashi, the jounin leader had requested that Naruto see the Hokage. Even though Naruto had politely declined, many different factors played into his going along. Many of those factors was his new 'traveling buddy' Haku.

"Hey Kakashi-san! When are we going to get to Konohagakure?" asked an excited Haku. This was the first time that the chunin equivalent ninja had been traveling without his previous master Zabuza. It was also his time in the much warmer climate of the country of fire. He started to take off his shirt much to the embarrassment of both Sakura and Rei, who, at the time, were wishing him to continue undressing while asking him to show some decency in front of women.

Kakashi sighed. "Very soon Haku. Very soon." Kakashi said in an exasperated voice. He was very annoyed right now because Haku and his team kept asking him questions the entire trip. 'When are we going to get there?' 'Why is he a savior?' 'Are we there yet?' 'Is your hair regularly silver?' "Why are you a pervert?' he sighed again. Hopefully the rest of the trip was quiet.

Luckily for Kakashi, the rest of the trip was quiet and they were able to reach the gates of Konoha in relative silence. Knowing that the Hokage would like to know of the events that took place during his mission, namely a formal report, he politely asked both Naruto and Haku to accompany him while giving his team the rest of the day off.

* * *

"Ne, Ino." said Sakura. Attempting to start a conversation with the young blond girl. Ino looked up to meet Sakura's gaze. "Have you ever heard of the 'Weeping Savior of the Will of Fire?" she asked. Ino looked confused for a moment before finally answering.

"No. Why?" Sakura seemed to fume silently. Damn... maybe Shikimaru will know.

* * *

"Hello Kakashi-kun. I trust the rest of your mission went well, and there wasn't as many snags as previously concieved." greeted the Hokage while also subtly hinting that he had gotten the messenger bird sent to him by the silver haired special jounin. Kakashi smiled while nodding.

"That is truer than you know Hokage-sama." replied Kakashi. He motioned for a person to step through the door. To the Hokage's surprise, two, not one, people stepped into his office. As he examined the one with the more exuberant hair color, he came to a startling conclusion.

"Naruto?" he asked, not sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him or not.

"Hello Hokage-jiji." said a downcast Naruto. His voice wrenched the poor old Hokage's heart. IT seemed that Naruto was still just as depressed as the last time he had seen him. What was Niko doing with the child? He had asked him to help the child step out of his depressive slump, but it had seemed that Naruto was just as deep in it as ever. Something was wrong.

* * *

What was that that he did? Sickles of blood red... _air._ So deadly and yet, it had none of the destructive power of fire. It was as silent as death itself. Then there was the other thing. The thing with his eyes. What had happened? Why... why was he so strong? Just like his brother.

'_Hate me.'_ Did you really mean that Itachi?

'_Detest me.'_ Why Aniki?

'_Cling to your hate to get stronger, so then one day you may kill me.'_ No. I know now what you meant Nii-san. Sorry to say this... but you won't be getting the easy way out Itachi nii-chan.

* * *

As Haku spun his intricate story to the Hokage, Naruto and Kakashi listened even though having already heard it once or twice. The Hokage's eyes seemed to have dimmed during the ice nin's depressing story, but whether it was from said story, or from how similar it was to Naruto's was yet to be determined.

"So do you wish to be a ninja of Konohagakure?" he asked Haku, seemingly knowing the answer to the question long before even asking. Haku smiled thus confirming the old Hokage's suspicions, only to be completely blown away by his statement.

"No thank you." replied Haku, politely declining the man's offer. Seeing the old man's look, along with Naruto's and Kakashi's, he explained. "As much as I would like to be a part of your amazing village," he started, "unless Naruto here was Hokage, I really don't want to be tied down to a village yet. After all, I can't leave my new travelling, and all around buddy alone now can I?" he said, while adding a grin at the end. Naruto sighed an exasperated sigh, which made the Hokage think at a mile a minute.

A sigh? A non-depressed sigh? Maybe letting Haku travel with Naruto was a good thing after all. Then again, would Niko allow it? Where was he anyway. He decided to voice his thoughts. A mistake he would regret almost immediately.

"Naruto... What happened to Niko-sensei?" Naruto's eyes started to water.

"He's dead..." he answered, voice heavier then the Hokage's monument, and heavier then the burden he once carried...

* * *

"Ne Niko-sensei. Can I have some ramen?" asked a younger Naruto, asking the taller and much more pronounce Jounin. Said Jounin smiled.

"Of course Naruto. Let's go get some right now." he replied. He knew that the blonds favorite food and overall 'pick-me-up' was ramen. It was also his way of remembering his past guardian and friend. They both traversed towards the closest ramen stand when all of a sudden, strangely dressed men surrounded them.

"Are you Niko Hiroyuki?" asked the one that seemed to be the leader. Niko turned around and greeted them with a smile.

"Yes I am. May I ask who you are?" he replied, though he knew full well who they were. They were the keiri. A group of A to S class nin that he and his old ANBU group were assigned to demolish 2-4 years ago. He was quite surprised to find that a few still existed, and were standing in front of him right now.

"We would like you to come with us." said the leader. Niko smiled. Apparently they didn't _know who _he was. He was Niko Hiroyuki, the master of pre-death. A unique kenjutsu style that uses a chakra produced sword that increases your overall swing speed by 1000.

"How can I come with you... if your already dead?" The nin's eyes widened before splitting into many pieces. Just as he was about to walk away with the shocked Naruto, another nin popped out of the ground and assassinated him in cold blood by slitting his throat cleanly.

"By following them there." he said. The keiri were ready for the famed pre-death technique, and now that the last user of the technique had been killed, and revenge had been exacted, they're goal for world domination was theirs for the taking. He looked at the child beside the dead body of the nin, still, steady, and not moving. He was clearly still in shock, unknowingly pouring tears from his eyes. Inside of his mindscape, the 'sewer' was filling up at rapid pace. It had already been about halfway full after the death of his two friends, but slowly started to drain as he traveled with the famed technique user. The death of the nin though...

"**Is this how I die then?" **said the Kyuubi as he held up his snout as to not enhale the mental sewage. He growled deeply. ** "I think not." **he replied to himself as he rapidly stored his chakra into a central point of his body before allowing it to explode outward. As the cage filled with water, not even the glowing of the kyuubi's vibrant red chakra could be seen.

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A/N: I wonder what he did... anyways... please review. And if you wanna catch me before the next chapter is up with some ideas (if theyre good ill put em in, and if not i wont) my aim sn is "Juan The Don of NY". Peace yall. 


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